A LEADING health charity warned last night that Britain faces a “public health disaster” as the number of diabetes sufferers hits record levels.

An extra 630,000 people are said to be living undiagnosed with Type 2 diabetes [GETTY]

The latest figures, released today by Diabetes UK, reveal that more than 3.2 million people were diagnosed in 2013 – an increase of more than 163,000 on the previous year.

It is the biggest increase in a single year since 2008 and means six per cent of adults now have the condition.

The figures were extracted from official NHS data.

The charity revealed that an estimated 630,000 people have Type 2 diabetes but have not yet been diagnosed, taking the potential total to more than 3.8 million.

But that is predicted to soar to 4.4 million unless more is done to combat the condition.

The big increase in the number of people with diabetes confirms that we are in the middle of an unfolding public health disaster that demands urgent action

Barbara Young, Diabetes UK’s chief executive

Barbara Young, Diabetes UK’s chief executive, said: “The big increase in the number of people with diabetes confirms that we are in the middle of an unfolding public health disaster that demands urgent action. It is frightening to think that one in 17 people you walk past in the street has been diagnosed with the condition.

“We need more focus on preventing Type 2 diabetes, as this is the only way we can bring the rapid rise in diabetes cases under control.

“This means properly implementing the NHS Health Check so we can identify more people at high risk and then making sure they get the support they need to reduce that risk.

“We also need to address the obesity crisis, which is what is fuelling the increase in Type 2, by making healthy food cheaper and more accessible and by making it easier for people to build physical activity into their daily lives.

“But as well as doing more to prevent Type 2, we need to get much better at treating diabetes because the level of priority the NHS gives the condition does not reflect the size of the shadow it is casting over our nation’s health.”

While treating diabetes accounts for 10p of every pound the NHS spends, she said the service the public received was “patchy and inconsistent” and had to be improved.

She said: “Unless we do this, we are likely to see more people having to endure complications and an accompanying rise in diabetes spending that we will simply not be able to afford.”

At least 90 per cent of cases are Type 2 – fuelled by obesity, too much alcohol, a lack of exercise and general unhealthy living. It puts people at an increased risk of health problems which can lead to amputation, blindness, kidney failure, stroke and early death.

Type 1 diabetes, which develops when the body cannot produce any insulin, is also rising but scientists do not know for certain why this is the case.